Page 19: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Mar/Apr 2018)

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hroughout history, Dubai has been the leading “Jebel Ali is our fagship trading port in the Arabian Gulf, and now the UAE

Government is determined that the country contin- port and has been recog- ues to be a hub for the maritime industry. Dubai nized as the Best Sea Port

Titself is striving to become one of the world’s top shipping destinations through its Maritime Vision 2030 that it in the Middle East for over launched four years ago. The maritime sector is expected to be worth $66bn to the emirate by 2018, according to Oxford two decades reinforcing

Business Group, with further investment planned for the es- tablished Jebel Ali Port and ongoing development at the two our role as a leading en- million square meter new free zone, Dubai Maritime City.

Charged with delivering these ambitions is the Dubai abler of world trade.”

Maritime Cluster, part of the Dubai Maritime City Author- ity (DMCA). The DMCA was established in 2007 to moni- – Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, tor, develop and promote maritime activities while offering

DP World Group Chairman and CEO investment opportunities to boost Dubai’s competitiveness at regional and international levels.

Rising Region

The Leading Maritime Capitals of the World of 2017 report published by Menon Research and DNV GL was announced was vital as the region can now have a direct infuence on in Singapore late last year ranked Dubai at number ten overall. business and regulations. “The IMO is talking about Ballast “When we launched the strategy four years ago, Dubai was not Water Management, sulphur emission deadlines,” he contin- even in the top ten, but fve years into our hard work to manufac- ues. “Imagine a room where these ten nations sit and decide ture a product that could be attractive to the shipping communi- on these things. We didn’t have a voice before, now we have ty, look where we are today,” Nawfal Al-Jourani, Chief Offcer so we can now say what works and what doesn’t work.” – Dubai Maritime Cluster explains. “In terms of attractiveness and competitiveness Dubai is number fve globally. In terms of Reasons to be Cheerful the overall ranking as a shipping center we are at number ten. One of the key components of the maritime sector in Dubai “They asked 1,600 professionals from the maritime commu- is the oil and gas industry, which has taken a big hit since the nity all over the world what is the most important or attractive oil price crashed several years ago. According to Geir Fuglerud, overall global maritime center of the future, Dubai jumps to sixth Area Manager, Middle East and Africa at DNV GL that sector has overall. This is a vote of confdence. It is important to us as it is hit the bottom and there is a renewed optimism. “We see within a vote from the very community that we are trying to attract.” DNV GL, more requests for quotation, more business happening,

Al-Jourani explains that the strategic direction is very sim- rigs coming out of lay-up, vessels are being reactivated,” he says. ple; they want to be a leading global maritime center. “For that “It is not moving quickly, but there is a positive trend to it.” what we are trying to do is to develop, regulate and promote Even though Dubai has climbed the rankings as a maritime what Dubai has to offer,” he says. “We know that there are cluster there is still an area that causes concern to Fuglerud. other cities around the world that are doing the same, but that That involves innovation. Out of the top 15 maritime capitals, will always be the case. Dubai was rock bottom when it came to research. “They have “I always say that we compete against ourselves; that is the a way to go and there is a big appetite to improve,” he says. most important thing that we challenge the status quo every day. “This study came out seven months ago and I am impressed

What type of regulation makes the shipowners life easier? What how Dubai has already taken steps to address it, and that is kind of fnancial guidelines do we need to put in place to attract one of the things that impresses me with this place, they make them to come here? What human resources regulations? What their mind up on where they want to go, and they go there. type of criminal law justice system? I’m sure if you look at “There is a massive drive now that they have gone from 13 these things you will see why Dubai is way ahead in this region. to ten in these statistics, which has shown them that the policy

This is what we mean by a world-leading maritime sector.” they put in place fve years ago has paid off and by address-

Another huge boost for the region came in December when ing new policies on research and innovation they can further the UAE became the only Arabic nation to ever win a seat on climb the rankings.” the IMO council in category B. That, according to Al-Jourani, Fuglerud’s optimism is fueled by the fact that Dubai is a www.maritimelogisticsprofessional.com 19

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